After studying this for a few nights, the fog is beginning to clear a bit, but not completely.
On the above mentioned inclinometer (sca61t, pages 11 &12), you send a command and then concurrently it sends back a reply with the data. I think I can see how to send the command, and extend the transmission to 19 clocks so that it can fit in the response by leaving CS low with the [var\19] in SEROUT. What I don't see how to grab those reply bits using SEROUT and SERIN. Each one would execute in order and not catch the response as both share the clock.
Code:
I VAR WORD
D VAR WORD 
CS_I      VAR           PORTC.2  ' chip select Inclinomteter
CS_D      VAR           PORTC.3  ' chip select D/A
SCK       VAR           PORTC.5 ' clock
SDI       VAR           PORTC.4 ' data OUT
SDO       VAR           PORTC.7 ' data IN
IncIn     var           word 
HIGH CS_I   
HIGH CS_D
LOW SCK
I = %0001000000000000     'send RDAX & fill to get 11 bits of data 
D = %0001111111111111        '2x, active, max output for test

'*** Inclinometer Commands ***********
'MEAS         00000000           'Measure (Exit self test)
'RWTR         00001000           'R/W Temp     
'RDSR         00001010           'Read Status register
'RLOAD        00001011           'relaod NV to o/p
'STX          00001110           'activate self test
'RDAX         00010000           'read acceleration

Main:
     GOSUB IncRdg
     GOSUB DACout
goto main
'**** Subs *********************************
;---- Sub to read the inclinometer ------------------
IncRdg:
  LOW CS_i                       ' enable writes to Inclinometer
  SHIFTOUT SDI,SCK,0,[I\19]      'sends command to READ
' SHIFTIN SDO,SDK,0,[IncIn\11]  ' I don't see this working
  HIGH CS_I 
  PAUSE 5
  RETURN

''---- Sub to output to the D/A converter ----- 
'DACout:
'  LOW CS_D                       ' enable writes to D/A converter
'  SHIFTOUT SDI,SCK,0,[D\16]
'  HIGH CS_D 
'  PAUSE 5
'  return
Will test further, but I suspect that I might have to resort to the hardware SPI.

Any thoughts?
Bo